Split albums are somewhat common in the metal underground. Two or more bands come together with a few songs each and put them all on one album. Sometimes a lesser-known band is invited to appear on a split with a better-known band in order to promote the lesser-known band. Other times, it’s a label construction to feature two newer bands. I like splits, and wish more bands would do them between albums. Unfortunately, they are also usually fairly rare.
Let’s look at the splits in my collection.
MORNALAND/ABOMINATOR
This split has already been reviewed previously. See prior blog entry for the review.
WINNER: ABOMINATOR
This split has already been reviewed previously. See prior blog entry for the review.
WINNER: ABOMINATOR
GOATWHORE/EPOCH OF UNLIGHT
This split has already been reviewed previously. See prior blog entry for the review.
WINNER: GOATWHORE
This split has already been reviewed previously. See prior blog entry for the review.
WINNER: GOATWHORE
HORNA/BEHEXEN
This split comes from two of Finland’s most extreme black metal bands.
HORNA: Horna’s side of the split has very low production values. The riffs are constantly repeating. The vocals are screamed in a raspy voice. The band is really interesting when they slow things down into a powerful groove. They do this frequently, making for an entertaining listen.
BEHEXEN: Behexen is even rawer than Horna. Swirling guitar riffs circle around the pounding drums and screaming vocals. It would have sounded better with better production. There just isn’t much here that other black metal bands don’t have. Their later full length was better.
WINNER: HORNA
This split comes from two of Finland’s most extreme black metal bands.
HORNA: Horna’s side of the split has very low production values. The riffs are constantly repeating. The vocals are screamed in a raspy voice. The band is really interesting when they slow things down into a powerful groove. They do this frequently, making for an entertaining listen.
BEHEXEN: Behexen is even rawer than Horna. Swirling guitar riffs circle around the pounding drums and screaming vocals. It would have sounded better with better production. There just isn’t much here that other black metal bands don’t have. Their later full length was better.
WINNER: HORNA
VLAD TEPES/BELKETRE
This is a split between two of the better known bands from the black metal scene from France in the mid 1990's. This scene became known as the Black Legions or Les Legions Noires (LLN).
VLAD TEPES: The Vlad Tepes side consists of fairly simple, repeating riffs over simple drum patterns and raspy vocals. The production is not too bad, but the musicianship is not overly great. The music is just good enough to be catchy. It is mostly mid-tempo black metal.
BELKETRE: Take the simple repeating riffs and drum patterns from the Vlad Tepes side and simplify them even more. The musicianship is also not as good as Vlad Tepes, the vocals are raspier, and the production is even worse. There, you have the Belketre side of the split.
WINNER: VLAD TEPES
WINNER: VLAD TEPES
BLOOD EXILE/SACRILEGIO
This is Part 3 of Stormspell Records' Thrash Clash. These two bands are from Latin America.
BLOOD EXILE: Blood Exile is a thrash metal band from Mexico. They play an old school type of thrash with fast riffs, blazing guitar solos, and harsh yelled vocals. What makes them interesting is their occasional use of traditional Mexican guitar lines. The melodies work well in conjunction with the old school thrash metal the band otherwise plays and is a welcome addition. I will be watching for a full length from this band. I am very impressed.
SACRILEGIO: Sacrileglio is a speed/thrash metal band from Puerto Rico. Sacrilegio is considerably more melodic than Blood Exile. The singer's voice is much better than Blood Exile's as well, but the music is not nearly as impressive. It is melodic, but it does not have the same energy and intensity as Blood Exile. That is not to suggest that it is bad in any way, quite good actually, however these are supposed to be thrash metal bands, intensity and power is a must.
WINNER: BLOOD EXILE
SACRILEGIO: Sacrileglio is a speed/thrash metal band from Puerto Rico. Sacrilegio is considerably more melodic than Blood Exile. The singer's voice is much better than Blood Exile's as well, but the music is not nearly as impressive. It is melodic, but it does not have the same energy and intensity as Blood Exile. That is not to suggest that it is bad in any way, quite good actually, however these are supposed to be thrash metal bands, intensity and power is a must.
WINNER: BLOOD EXILE
INFANTRY/PYROTOXIC
This is Part 4 of Stormspell Records' Thrash Clash.
INFANTRY: Infantry is part of the thrash revival that has been growing in California over the last few years, along with Merciless Death, Warbringer, and others. A lot of these bands seem to have one Bay Area band that they work hard at emulating. This band actually seems to favor Possessed, which is a welcome change of pace. Their riffs are fast and intense, the vocals are ferocious, and the music as a whole remains interesting and catchy.
PYROTOXIC: Pyrotoxic is a Finnish thrash metal band with a female lead vocalist. They do play faster than Infantry, but their riffs are not as impressive. Vocalist Liisa has a decent thrash metal voice, but it's kind of buried in the heavy mix. Hopefully a better production job will coax that out a little. Pyrotoxic probably has a brighter future than Infantry, but at this point in time, is not as impressive.
WINNER: INFANTRY
PYROTOXIC: Pyrotoxic is a Finnish thrash metal band with a female lead vocalist. They do play faster than Infantry, but their riffs are not as impressive. Vocalist Liisa has a decent thrash metal voice, but it's kind of buried in the heavy mix. Hopefully a better production job will coax that out a little. Pyrotoxic probably has a brighter future than Infantry, but at this point in time, is not as impressive.
WINNER: INFANTRY
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